Contents

Heavy Bolter Turret

The standard static defense for the Space Marine force consisting of a Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter manned by a simple gun servitor. Although the turret is capable of repelling lighter vehicles it is usually upgraded with a Twin-Linked Missile Launcher if heavier armour is expected.

Tactics

Heavy Bolter Turrets are useful for light defense, and are exceptional when backing up a main force. Normally they tend to be used defensively, but they can be used aggressively due to the fact they do not require a control zone to be built in. Only six Heavy Bolter Turrets can be built for each Stronghold. Heavy Bolter Turrets can detect infiltrated units. Turrets can be upgraded to fire missiles that are effective against vehicles and buildings and can disrupt infantry.

The ideal defensive locations for Heavy Bolter Turrets are in your main base, next to Thermo Plasma Generators, and in choke points. Your base is an obvious location in order to deter raiders and detect infiltrated spotters while your army is elsewhere. Thermo Plasma Generators are often in isolated locations and will act as a magnet for raiders without protection. Choke points are great locations as the enemy will have no choice but to charge through the fire of your turrets. When controlling Critical Locations is a victory condition, consider building turrets as close to them as possible. This prevents the enemy from easily stealing your Critical Locations with infiltrated units or jump troops.

Use of Heavy Bolter Turrets offensively is possible, but there is a narrow window between when turrets become available and when the enemy can field weaponry that will make turrets obsolete offensively. Send builder units to construct turrets near the enemy base and use the turrets as a staging ground for hit and run attacks. If you can kill enough enemy troops, try and construct turrets that can directly attack there base. To counter this tactic try to find and destroy turrets under construction or put too much pressure on the enemy base for them to hide their troops amongst forward turrets.

In Tier 1 Heavy Bolter Turrets can seem formidable, but with only 900 hitpoints and building_low armor they will still fall to concentrated fire. Try to absorb fire with a Commander; your resources will be quickly drained if you have to constantly reinforce your infantry. Once vehicles and more powerful weaponry are available turrets become much less of a threat. Nonetheless, outranging turrets or attacking with units it is bad against (vehicles against bolter turrets, infantry against missile turrets) is still prudent.

While Heavy Bolter Turrets provide good defense against early rushes, building too many can leave you insufficient forces or delay your progress. If you are uncertain whether or not your enemy is going to rush you can build a couple turrets to about 90% completion. If the rush occurs you can finish the turrets in seconds, otherwise you can cancel production to recover your resources.